1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recognizing characters that recognizes the characters of inputted images, and a method therefor.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recognizing characters that updates a dictionary for use of character recognition, and a method therefor.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for recognizing characters that facilitates the designating operation of the character image to be registered on a dictionary for use of character recognition, and a method therefor.
2. Related Background Art
An apparatus for recognizing characters is, in general, provided with a recognition dictionary that stores on it standardized distinctive feature of character images, and also, provided with means for cutting off characters, which is used for cutting off the character portion of an inputted image; means for identifying characters by computation in order to work out the degree of analogy between the character portion and the standard distinctive feature of each character stored on the recognition dictionary, and to output a character having the highest degree of such analogy as the result of recognition; and means for indicating the result of recognition, thus displaying the result of recognition. Here, as a method for enhancing the accuracy of such recognition for an apparatus for recognizing characters of the kind, there has been known a character registration. The character registration means designating a character image and a character code for the registration of the distinctive feature of a character image on a recognition dictionary in order to update the character dictionary.
Usually, the apparatus for recognizing characters, which is provided with such function of registration, is structured to be above to define a character image as an object of the intended character registration when such character image is selected as the one to be registered from among the results of recognition represented on means for displaying them. Here, in conjunction with FIG. 13, one example will be described, in which at first, a character 1301 that should be registered, such as a character correctly recognized or a character erroneously recognized, is selected by use of a cursor on the text window 1311 where the result of recognition is displayed. Then, an instruction is issued to begin a xe2x80x9cregistrationxe2x80x9d process by clicking a menu 1302 or the like. On the window 1312 for use of the character registration, the character image 1303 corresponding to the selected character 1301 is displayed within an image frame arranged for use of a character to be registered. Thus, the character image is inputted into a character input unit 1304 by use of a keyboard or the like in order to designate the nature of that particular character of the image. If there is no problem as to its contents, an xe2x80x9cOKxe2x80x9d button 1305 is depressed, hence registering the character on the recognition dictionary. The representation of the character image 1303 is such that the character 1301 designated by use of the cursor is let out for the recognition process, and then, the image information thus processed is represented on the displaying means. The image information per unit of cut off character or the coordinate information of a cut off character image is stored corresponding to the text of a recognition result one to one. Such stored information is utilized for the execution of the representation of the character image.
However, in accordance with the example described above, it is impossible to register the image area that has been cut off and defined by means of an apparatus for recognizing characters. Therefore, no modification is possible. Inevitably, a registration should be made as it is even when the character cut off is a failure. Also, there is a drawback that it is impossible to utilize for registration any image that exists outside the area from which a character has cut off by means of an apparatus for recognizing characters.
The present invention is designed in consideration of the problems described above, which are encountered when applying the conventional technique. It is an object of the invention to facilitate the designating operation of the character image to be registered on a recognition dictionary.
The present invention is structured to utilize the information regarding the area of the cut off character provided by use of an apparatus for recognizing characters, and to edit such character area in order to set the character image to be registered on a recognition dictionary. In this way, it is made easier to define a character image for an intended registration more accurately.
Also, the present invention makes it possible to designate a character image to be applied to updating a recognition dictionary by carrying out an operation on the screen of a display with a sense as if writing it down, thus enhancing the operativity thereof.